Korea’s LG Innotek seeks to be top UV LED company this year

Korea’s LG Innotek seeks to be top UV LED company this year

LG Innotek, materials and component making unit of South Korean conglomerate LG Group, has set its sights on becoming the global top player in the ultraviolet light-emitting diode (UV LED) industry this year.

The goal is based on continuous investments and pioneering technology development, LG Innotek’s chief executive Park Jong-Seok said in a press conference on Wednesday.

LG Innotek rose to second from fourth last year as it closed the gap with Japan`s Nichia, the No. 1 player by market share, according to industry tracker LED Inside.

The UV LED, an advanced semiconductor light source that emits ultraviolet light, eliminates germs and viruses and chemically reacts with special substances to be used for water and air disinfection.

Last November LG Innotek developed the world’s first UV-C LED with an ultraviolet output of 100mW, which is powerful enough to sterilize the surface of objects and even flowing water and air immediately.

The company plans to release a 150mW UV LED in the third quarter of this year and a 200mW product next year, expanding its lineup of new products. The 150mW UV LED can be used for sterilization in tapping water and sewage treatment, the company said.